Equestria
Equestria has lived in harmony for a millennium under the guidance of Princess Celestia. The nation has faced many recent threats, and prevailed with the Power of Friendship and Harmony. However, in these changing times, the fate of nations no longer rests upon shoulders of heroes, but politics and military might. The peace-loving nation of ponies now finds itself in a new world with foes not only at their borders but among their numbers as well. How will Equestria approach the troubling times ahead? Will Friendship and Harmony still be its mantra? Lore The Equestrian Founding An ancient land whose exact origins are shrouded in myth and legend, Equestria is the nation of ponykind, three equine races which unified to face a hostile world - Earth Ponies, with strength and affinity for growth and life, Pegasi, able to fly and manipulate weather, and Unicorns, spellcasters with horns capable of impressive feats of magic. Thestrals (also referred to as batponies), who are night-dwelling cousins to the pegasi, were considered by some to be the fourth race. However, they never formally joined Equestria, and their legal status is currently in question. The new alliance proved fruitful, and great pony heroes arose, protecting the fledgling nation. The wisest and most powerful among them, Starswirl the Bearded, recognized the potential of two young Alicorns, rare and legendary ponies possessing the traits of all 3 races. He crowned the alicorn sisters Luna and Celestia as Princesses of Equestria, tasking them with ruling and protecting the land from harm. Celestia and Luna soon realized their destinies to wield control over the Sun and Moon respectively. The Princesses defended the Kingdom through its early days from monsters, demigods and disaster, and in doing so, they discovered the Tree of Harmony, wielding the magic of its six Elements (Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Magic, Loyalty and Generosity). They established friendly relations with the neighboring Crystal Empire, a kingdom of crystal ponies, who embraced Alicorn rule under the Amore dynasty and wielded the magic of the powerful crystals that grew in their domain, prospering under the magical strength of its powerful core, the Crystal Heart. The Fall of the Crystal Empire and The Long Peace However, this age of expansion and victory would not last. A twisted unicorn of shadow, Sombra, rose in the Crystal Empire, overthrowing the Amore dynasty and enslaving the populace. Celestia and Luna used the Elements of Harmony to defeat and banish him to the frozen north. But Sombra, bitter with his imminent imprisonment, cursed the Crystal Empire, locking it away along with him. Where once a proud city stood, only an icy wasteland remained. The Princesses returned to their stewardship of Equestria. But Princess Luna, given responsibility for the night, grew lonely and resentful as ponies shunned the night, preferring to play and work in the light of her sister's day. She became twisted and possessed by dark magic, transforming into the "wicked mare of darkness", Nightmare Moon. Attempting to impose perpetual night and rule alone, Nightmare Moon confronted Celestia. With a heavy heart, Celestia wielded the Elements of Harmony, defeating her sister and locking her away on the Moon. Terrified of Nightmare Moon and ill omens of night, ponies lynched and attacked batponies, creating a rift between the two societies that would never heal. Mournful but resolute, Celestia ruled Equestria under the mantle of Harmony and its guiding philosophy of cooperation, friendship, and trust, supported by careful management of ecological and climatic balance. Peace and calm reigned, and the years grew into centuries. Empires rose and fell, but Equestria remained. Unchanging. Idyllic. Stagnant. The Stirrings of Change Centuries passed, and Celestia rarely spoke of Luna's banishment and the times before it. History fell into myth, spun into legends. But slowly change began to stir. The continent of Griffonia was discovered, contact with the long lost eastern ponies of the Riverlands was reestablished, and Equestria founded the colony of New Mareland. Magitech, steam power, and electricity transformed pastoral villages into bustling cities and the printing press made literacy possible for the masses. Railways advanced settlements south into Buffalo territory, while archaeologists and adventures pressed deep into jungles to unearth ancient relics and magic. Friendships strained as the harmony of the village gave way to the chaos of the city and free market. And with change came strife. In 979 ALB, New Mareland, which had heavily invested in the growing markets of the Griffonian Empire, suffered economic disaster as the Griffonian Empire collapsed into warring states and revolutionary uprisings. Separated by distance and already overextended, Equestria declined to provide substantial assistance. In 991 ALB the northern Equestrian region of Severnaya faced crop failure and impending famine. The growing Equestrian capitalist class charged extortionate rates for food and refused to drop prices. Revolutionaries began to speak of an alternative system, where all are equal. A zealous crackdown by the Equestrian Guard sparked an uprising and Severnaya's secession from Equestria as a Communist state - Stalliongrad. Shocked by the crackdown and ensuing violence, Celestia withdrew Equestrian forces from Stalliongrad and fired her Captain of the Guard.